The Older Women's CoHousing Web Site - Factsheet about CoHousing Communities of Older People

FACTSHEET ABOUT COHOUSING COMMUNITIES OF OLDER PEOPLE

Key points about Cohousing for older people

it is a way of living as a group where people have their own self-contained apartments and shared common room, guest room, hobby room, etc. in a building designed both for growing old in and for ease of social interaction
for couples and singles it is a means of enjoying social activity as part of a group and lessening the chance of becoming isolated if you are living on your own, are divorced or your partner dies
it is a way of enjoying a balance of privacy and communality
its members offer each other the kind of neighbourly watchfulness and support that comes from knowing your immediate neighbours
there is a limit to their mutual support - it does not extend to long term, personal care which should be sought from professionals or the care services
it is for people who are independent in the first place and not expecting the group to look after them
it is for people who are keen to learn new skills and preserve old ones
a CoHousing Community’s distinguishing feature is that it is set up, managed and controlled by the group of people who live in it
part of this control and of the success of cohousing is the group’s ability to select new members on the basis of their support for the ethos of the group
building a sense of group solidarity is the most important feature of the process of developing a cohousing community

Key points about cohousing for older people in The Netherlands

developed by the Danes and taken up by the Dutch, cohousing has been going for over 20 years in The Netherlands and more than 200 groups of older people either live in such communities or are in the planning phase
it has been encouraged by the Dutch government as a means of preventing isolation and dependency among older people and therefore reducing demand on health and social services. It is also seen as a means of freeing up under-occupied family housing and providing older people with accommodation suitable for growing old in
Dutch local authorities actively support the development of cohousing communities of older people
Most groups are a mix of couples and singles, with about one third usually of single women
Dutch cohousing involves mostly renters in the large social housing sector but there are groups of owners only or mixed groups of owners and renters
Dutch social landlords allow the groups to allocate vacant tenancies subject to safeguards against voids
The groups often have a key role in the design of their accommodation
The average age of the groups is c.70 years and their range from 50-90+ is important for the functioning of the group.
The average and ideal size of groups is held to be around 24 units or 30-40 people

Key points about cohousing for older people in Britain

It does not exist here for older people and the Older Women’s cohousing project in London is pioneering the concept
It would offer an alternative way of living for older people who want to keep their ‘own home’, live in a group setting that they run themselves and who also want company and security
British housing finance, law and policy are not as favourable as in The Netherlands to the development of cohousing. A main difficulty is in accessing public subsidy so that the rented units and common space will be affordable and in securing nomination rights for the group

Key points about the Older Women’s Cohousing Project

The OWCH group have decided to be a community of women of 50 years and over, welcoming women from any background or culture as long as they are prepared to be active participants
The OWCH group decided to be a mix of owners, shared owners/renters and renters and to aim for about 24+ units in the Greater London area. They are currently negotiating for a first phase site in Wembley.
Until 2002, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation supported the OWCH initiative as a pilot project with the services of a part-time paid consultant who now works for the group on a voluntary basis. The Housing Corporation funded a feasibility study and has supplied a housing grant in principle for the scheme’s affordable elements. Housing for Women, a housing association, is acting as OWCH’s development partner. The Tudor Trust is actively involved in facilitating the aims of the group.
The OWCH group have focused on the process of building a sense of community and cohesion amongst themselves, sorting out their shared aims and deciding on how they want to live as a group. They meet each month in North London and welcome new members.